Predatory journals and conferences

This briefing document from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) informs the Conference of the Parties about an Interacademy Partnership initiative titled "Harnessing the world’s academies to combat predatory academic journals and conferences." The initiative is a two-year study aimed at defining predatory practices, measuring their impact, and providing recommendations for coordinated solutions.

• The IAI Directorate is participating in a two-year initiative organized by the Interacademy Partnership to address predatory academic journals and conferences. The project's goals are to define these entities, measure their extent and impact, identify root causes, and offer targeted recommendations for collaborative solutions.
• A global survey of over 1,800 researchers reveals that 11% have published in a predatory journal and 4% have attended a predatory conference, with an additional 8% and 6% respectively unsure of their status. More than 80% of those surveyed believe these practices are either a serious problem or increasing within their country.
• The primary cause for engaging with predatory practices is a lack of awareness, though other drivers include peer encouragement, the speed and cost of services, and the pressure to advance professional careers.
• Failure to address predatory academic practices can lead to severe consequences, including the erosion of public trust in research, the spread of misinformation in public policy, and an increased gap between low-income and high-income countries.
• The Interacademy Partnership (IAP), which consists of more than 140 national and regional academies of science, engineering, and medicine, is leading the study. The IAP operates four regional networks covering Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2021). Predatory journals and conferences. https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/iai-cop-29-9-INF-3.pdf

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Predatory journals and conferences. 2021. https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/iai-cop-29-9-INF-3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Predatory journals and conferences |date=27 May 2021 |url=https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/iai-cop-29-9-INF-3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2021predatory, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Predatory journals and conferences}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/iai-cop-29-9-INF-3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }